Concrete press



J. C. JUREIT CONCRETE PRESS March 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 3; 1960 Betas? Patented Mar. 5, 1953 3,079,607 CONCRETE PRESS John Calvin .lureit, Miami, Fla, assigno to Automated Buiiding Components, Inca, a corporation of Florida Filed Nov. 3, 1964 Ser. No. 663% 13 (Ilaims. (Cl. 1-149) This invention relates to the construction of wooden panels, and more particularly relates to an improved method and an improved apparatus for constructing wooden panels to be used in the assembling of complete buildings or other structures. In the construction of pre -fabricated wooden panels or trusses for use in assembling complete buildings or other structures, it has been found that one of the simplest methods of forming these panels is to lay out the timber to be used in the desired pattern, place fasteners such as that disclosed in applicants Patent No. 2,877,520, issued March 17, 1959, at the junctions of the timber members, and then drive the fasteners into the timber members thereby forming rigid and solid joints. In order to facilitate this operation, there are several methods that have been proposed for driving the fasteners into the timber members. The fasteners could, of course, be individually driven by a workman. This method has the obvious disadvantage of the high cost of labor and the extended time necessary to drive in all of the required fasteners. Another system that has been proposed is the complete automation of the entire operation. in this method, the complete pattern is laid out by a specially designed machine which then places fasteners in predetermined positions, feeds the pattern thus formed to a press, drives the fasteners into the timber, and then removes the finished panel from the machinery. While this method is satisfactory, the high cost of the equipment is often exorbitant in view of the number of panels to be produced and is frequently not justified by the saving in labor costs. in other methods, the pattern is laid out by hand, then fed to a hydraulic press which forces the fasteners into the timber member Here again, the equipment is satisfactory from the point of view of the final result, but is often too expensive to justify the results.

According to the present invention, it is proposed that panels be formed by using a simple and inexpensive press to drive fasteners into timber members that have previously been laid out in the desired pattern.

It is therefore among the objects of the present invention to provide a method for cheaply and quickly forming wooden panels for use in the construction of buildings and other structures.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for use in constructing wooden panels.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a press which can be used in the construction of wooden panels.

It is a still further object to provide a press that can be easily and cheaply installed and used.

it is another object of this invention to provide an inexpensive press which utilizes the force of gravity for its operation.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims and appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view paratus;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of a modification of the present invention; and

partly in section of the ap- FiGURE 4 is an elevation view partly in section, of another modification of the present invention.

Referring now to the several figures, the apparatus comprises a press generally indicated at 1 having a reinforced concrete head 2 and a reinforced concrete base 4. The head is formed with a cavity 6 which can be filled with sand or water to increase its weight- ThlS sand or water can be removed from the head by means of a drain 8.

The base of the press is provided with a number of pipes 10, preferably one at each corner, which are anchored to the reinforcing, and which cooperate with a like number of pipe sleeves 12 cast in the head2 and anchored to the reinforcing therein to guide the head as it is lifted and lowered with respect to the base. The head is lifted from the base by means of a number of hydraulic jacks 14, located at each end of the press. While it is desired that two such jacks be used, one at each end, any greater number of jacks could also be used. The jacks are operatively connected to the press by means of pins 16 and 18 which are cast into the head and base respectively.

If desired, the base and head of the press can be provided with recesses into which the jacks can be placed. This modification eliminates the need for casting the pins 16 and 18 into the head and base. Such a construction is shown in FIGURE 3. In this figure, a recess 13 is provided in the head 2 of the press. This recess can be of any desired height and width, depending on the type of jack to be used. The base 4 is provided with a corresponding recess 39. The jack 21 need merely be rested on the base of the recess 19 and expand to contact the top of the recess 13, thus lifting the head from he base. This construction enables a number of different and inexpensivejaclrs to be used on any given press.

The hydraulic jacks are operated by a pump 20 which can be of any well known type, either manually or electrically driven. If it becomes necessary to completely remove the head from the base, for example, if it is desired to salvage the head when the press is being abandoned due to a change in location of operations or the like, a pair of handles 15 and 17 are provided which are connected to the reinforcing members in the head. These handles may be engaged by the books of a pair of granes and the head slid up the pipes and away from the ass.

The apparatus is provided with a pair of tables 22 and 24 mounted by means of hinges to the base of the press so that they can be folded out of the way when the press is not in operation. Each of the tables is provided with a plurality of roller conveyers 26 and a number of bingeably mounted supporting legs 28. A jig 30 is provided for each table, and is freely movable thereon due to the roller conveyers 26. It is to be understood that only one such table 24 need be provided, and it need not be hinged, although the preferred embodiment would use two hinged tables as shown.

In order to facilitate the free rolling of the jig, the base of the press is provided with a plurality of spring-loaded ball casters 32 cast in the concrete. The jig can thus be easily slidably moved from the cables 22 and 24 to the base 4 of the press.

In the operation of the press, the head is raised by means of the hydraulic jacks. The panel to be formed is then inserted and the head allowed to descend in response to gravitational force. Depending on the size of fasteners used, the head can be lowered slowly to press the fasteners into the Wood, or it can be dropped suddenly, thus hammering the fasteners into the wood. Rigid and sturdy panels can thus be speedily fastened together.

By the use of the apparatus disclosed above, it can be seen that wooden panels for use in assembling buildings 7 and other structures can be quickly and cheaply formed.

a The desired pattern of the panel or truss may be laid out a to descend and drive the fasteners into the wooden members, thus forming strong and rigid joints. The head is then raised by means of the hydraulic jacks, the jig re moved, and another jig carrying an assembled pattern substituted in its place. The entire operation is then repeated.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, there is shown a modification of the present invention in which the spring loaded ball casters of FIGURES l and 2 are replaced by a pneumatic system for creating an air cushion which facilitates the positioning of the jigs in the press. In this figure, the base 4 of the press is provided with an inlet pressure conduit 42 which connects with a plurality of vertical pipes 44, 46 and 43 which terminate in nozzles 59, S2 and 54. The pipes 44, 46 and 48 are, of course, merely representative of a greater number of similar pipes positioned throughout the base. It has been found that very satisfactory performance can be achieved by locating the nozzles on 2 foot centers in both directions. The vertical pipes are connected together by a suitable network of horizontal pressure conduits such as are shown at 45, 47 and 49.

The main inlet pressure conduit 42 is provided at one end with a pair of pressure ports 56 and 58 and at the other with a similar pair of pressure ports 60 and 62. As shown, the pressure port 56 is connected to a hose 9% which leads to a compressor (not shown) while a plug.

64 is inserted in the pressure port 60. The pressure ports 58 and 62 are connected to flexible hoses 66 and 68 respectively. It is to be understood that the functions of the variouspressure ports could be interchanged without affecting the invention.

The free ends of the hoses 66 and 68 are connected to pressure ports 70 and 72, located in the hinged tables 74 and 76. These tables are provided for the same purpose as the tables of FIGURES 1 and 2 and are similarly provided with hinged supporting legs 28. The tables in this embodiment are preferably made of plywood containing a pipe system similar to that contained in the base.

The pressure port 70 opens into a horizontal pipe 78 which is in fluid communication with a plurality of vertical pipes 82. Each of the vertical pipes are provided with nozzles 84. The pipe 78 is also in fluid communication with a number of other horizontal pipes which apply fluid pressure to a plurality of pipes similar to the pipes 82 and positioned in desired locations in the table '74. In a similar mannerythe pressure port 72 opens into a pipe fiilwhich runs'horizontally in the table 76. The pipe 80 is in fluid communication with a plurality of'vertical pipes 85, each of which is provided with a nozzle 33. The pipe 31 also serves as a main feeder line for a plurality of other horizontal pipes which feed further vertical pipes.

The operation of this embodiment of the invention is similar to that described in connection with that shown in FIGURES l and 2. The only difference is that instead of spring loaded ball casters being used to load the jigs into the press and permit their easy handling, an air cushion is used for this purpose. When the panel or truss to be joined is laid out on a jig positioned on one of the tables, air pressure is supplied from the compressor to the inlet pressure port 56. Through the system described above, fluid pressure is provided to the nozzles opening out through the top surfaces of the table and the base of the press; The pressure thus provided forms an air cushion which permits the easy positioning of the jig in the press. The pressure can be removed while the press is in operation and then reinstated to permit the easy extraction of the finished panel from the press. it is to be undersood that the pressure system shown is merely illustrative of the invention and that any system that could equally well supply the nozzles is comprehended in this invention.

t is also possible to use the feeding tables shown in FIG- URES l and 2 with the press base shown in FIGURE 4 and vice versa.

it will be apparent from the foregoing that there has been provided an improved method for forming wooden panels, as well as novel apparatus used in carrying out this method. By use of this method and apparatus, wooden panels or trusses can be formed quickly and inexpensively, without the use of high cost equipment or an unreasonable amount of hand labor.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. a

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for panel and truss fabrication comprising a press, said press having a reinforced concrete base and a reinforced concrete head, said head operatively connected with said base by means of telescoping pipes and pipe sleeves, hydraulic means for lifting said head away from said base, and transporting means associated with said base for transporting the panel to be fabricated into said press.

2. A press for use in fabricating wooden panels or trusses comprising a reinforced concrete base, a reinforced concrete head, said head operatively connected with said base for pressing an article therebetween, and hydraulic means for lifting said head from said base.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said hydraulic means comprises at least one hydraulic jack.

4. A press for use in panel or truss fabrication comprising a reinforced concrete base having a number of pipes cast therein and protruding from the uppermost side of said base, a reinforced concrete head, said head having a number of pipe sleeves cast therein corresponding to the pipes in said base and slidably mounted thereon, hydraulic means for lifting said head away from said base, said hydraulic means being releasable to permit said head to be lowered toward said base.

5. A press comprising a concrete base having a number of pipes cast therein, a concrete head having a number of pipe sleeves cast therein, said pipes and said pipe sleeves cooperating to allow said head to be lifted away from said base, and releasable hydraulic means for lifting said head away from said base.

6. A press for use in fabricating wooden panels or trusses comprising a reinforced concrete base, said base having cast therein a number of pipes, said pipes protruding from the uppermost side of said base, said base also having cast therein a plurality of spring-loaded ball casters for supporting a jig carrying the panel to be fabricated, a reinforced concrete head, said head having a number of pipe sleeves cast therein corresponding to the number of pipes and cooperating therewith to enable said head to be lifted away from said base, at least one bydraulic jacklocated at each end of said press and operatively connected therewith to permit the insertion of said jig, said hydraulic jacks being releasable to permit gravity to force said head toward said base. a

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said hydraulic jacks are connected with said press by means of pins cast into said base and said head.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said hydraulic jacks are operatively connected with said press by means of recesses formed in said base and said head.

9. A press for use in fabricating wooden panels or trusses comprising a reinforced concrete base, said base having cast therein a first series of pipes, said pipes protruding from the uppermost side of said base, said base also having cast therein a second series of pipes, nozzle means in fluid pressure communication with said pipes of said second series, said nozzle means adapted to create an air cushion on the uppermost side of said base upon the introduction of fluid pressure into said pipes of said second series, a reinforced concrete head, said head having a number of pipe sleeves cast therein corresponding to the number of pipes in said first series and cooperating therewith to enable said head to be lifted away from said base, at least one hydraulic jack located at each end of said press and operatively connected therewith to permit the insertion of the jig into said press, said hydraulic jacks being releasable to permit gravity to force said head toward said base.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said hydraulic jack is connected with said press by means of pins cast into said base and said head.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said hydraulic jack is operatively connected with said press by means of recesses formed in said base and said head.

12. In a gravity operated press, a concrete base, a pipe network including both horizontal and vertical pipes cast into said base, each of said vertical pipes being in fluid communication with a horizontal pipe, each of said vertical pipes being provided with a nozzle, said vertical pipes and said nozzles extending upwards no further than the uppermost surface of said base, a source of fluid pressure, means for operatively connecting said horizontal pipes with said source of fluid pressure whereby an air pressure is formed on the uppermost surface of said base.

13. The apparatus in claim 12 wherein said press is provided with a feed table, said feed table including means for establishing an air cushion on the surface thereof, and means for operatively connecting said air cushion establishing means with said source of fluid pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,703,783 Schmidt Feb. 26, 1929 2,487,019 Eichelberger Nov. 1, 1949 2,894,262 Schafroth July 14, 1959 2,918,183 Peterson Dec. 22, 1959 

1. APPARATUS FOR PANEL AND TRUSS FABRICATION COMPRISING A PRESS, SAID PRESS HAVING A REINFORCED CONCRETE BASE AND A REINFORCED CONCRETE HEAD, SAID HEAD OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID BASE BY MEANS OF TELESCOPING PIPES AND PIPE SLEEVES, HYDRAULIC MEANS FOR LIFTING SAID HEAD AWAY FROM SAID BASE, AND TRANSPORTING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BASE FOR TRANSPORTING THE PANEL TO BE FABRICATED INTO SAID PRESS. 